Self-centering marking device

ABSTRACT

A marker, which prints a concentric element such as a nut, bolt, or the like, for example, when moved into engagement with a surface, is retained adjacent one end of a base by magnets within the base. The marker is carried on a protruding portion of a support, which is slidably mounted within the base and carries a locating pin extending longitudinally therefrom and through the marker. When the locating pin is disposed on the surface at the point at which the center of the nut or bolt is to be located, a spring, which acts on the locating pin, is overcome by depressing the base so that the marker can be moved into engagement with the surface at the desired location. After printing, the marker is released from the effect of the magnets by pushing the support away from the base whereby the field of the magnets is no longer effective so that the marker drops off of the support by gravity.

Umted States Patent [1 3,703,142 Mimlitch 1 Nov. 21, 1972 [54]SELF-CENTERING MARKING DEVICE FOREIGLLPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor:Kenneth Mimlitch, 10 9 Cross 35,991 10/1922 Norway ..101/368 figgaf pt.3, Lexington, Ky. 91,868 4/1938 Sweden ..101/368 Primar Examiner-Cl del. Cou henour [22] Flled 1970 Attom-Frank C. Leich, Jr. g [21] Appl.No.: 80,004

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl ..101/382 MV, 33/191, 40/142 A, A marker,which prints a concentric element such as a 101/368, 101/406 nut, bolt,or the like, for example, when moved into [51] Int. Cl. ..B41k 1/20engagement with a surface, is retained adjacent one [58] Field of Search101/368, 382 MV, 405, 406; end of a base by magnets within the base. Themarker 40/ 142 A; 33/191 is carried on a protruding portion of asupport, which is slidably mounted within the base and carries a locat-[56] Refer n Cit d ing pin extending longitudinally therefrom andthrough the marker. When the locating pin is disposed UNITED STATESPATENTS on the surface at the point at which the center of the 2,620,73112/1952 slonneger 101/382 MV nut or bolt is to be located, a spring,which acts on the 1,686,512 10/1928 Burkenstein ..33/191 mating is bydflimessmg the base 2,382,804 8/1945 Morrison ..101/368 the marker. 8 fi 2,662,353 12/1953 Bergman et a] A the surface at the desired locat1on.After printing, the 454,066 6/1891 Redfield ..101/368 released effect ofthe magnets by 2,673,518 3/1954 Ardizzone ..101/382 MV Pushmg the Suppaway the base wheeby the field of the magnets is no longer effective sothat the marker drops off of the support by gravity.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEDunv 21 I972 a"! Illll FIG. 2

ISIII.

FIG. 3

FIG.

FIG. 6

AWN/'01? KENNETH H. MIMLITCH 5/ M C, M 9 2.

FIG. 8

FIG. 7

SELF-CENTERING MARKING DEVICE In preparing drawings for variousmanufactured products, there are numerous bolts, nuts, screws, and otherconcentric elements employed in the drawings. These various concentricelements are usually drawn with the aid of one or more templates. Theuse of templates requires precise positioning by the draftsman so thatthe element, which is being drawn with the aid of the templates, isproperly centered.

Furthermore, it is necessary to use more than one template to representa screw, for example. Thus, the draftsman must center each portion ofthe element that is being drawn with the aid of a particular template.

While templates are more satisfactory than using drawing instruments toproduce various concentric elements on a drawing, they still require asubstantial period of time. This is because of the necessity to obtainthe correct template, precisely position the particular element on thetemplate at the desired location on the drawing, and then draw theparticular element with the aid of the template.

The present invention satisfactorily overcomes the foregoing problems byutilizing a marking device in which the entire element, which can be abolt, a nut, or a screw, for example, is represented on a marker. In thepresent invention, the marker is releasably supported by the markingdevice so that it may be quickly connected to and disconnected from themarking device.

Furthermore, the marking device of the present invention utilizes alocating pin to insure that the marker is properly located when movedinto engagement with the drawing. Thus, by disposing the locating pin atthe center of the element to be produced on the drawing, the marker ofthe present invention is properly centered when moved into engagementwith the drawing surface.

Accordingly, the present invention enables rapid production on a drawingor the like of various elements, particularly concentric elements suchas bolts, nuts, and screws, for example. Therefore, the presentinvention reduces the time required for a draftsman to prepare adrawing.

Furthermore, a large number of templates is required to form the variouselements on the drawings. These can constitute a substantial investment.

Since the present invention eliminates the need for templates, theexpense of these templates is eliminated even though one has the expenseof the various markers. However, the markers are more durable, and thetotal cost of the markers and the device is relatively low in comparisonwith the cost of the templates.

Furthermore, some items cannot be produced by any type of template. Thepresent invention enables the marker to have any element or item formedthereon.

It has previously been suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 2,382,804 to Morrisonto support a marking member for disposition at a particular point on apaper surface. However, the structure of the Morrison patent utilizes athreaded support for the marking member. As a result, there is no quickconnection and disconnection of the marking member with its support.

Thus, the structure of the Morrison patent is not capable of saving timein comparison with the use of templates, for example, If one used thestructure of the Morrison patent, a longer period of time would berequired to connect the marking member to the support structure andremove the marking member from the support structure than would berequired to properly center templates.

Accordingly, the Morrisonpatent does not provide a solution to quickproduction of various elements on a drawing. Instead, a draftsman wouldfind templates a more expedient manner of drawing nuts, bolts, andscrews, for example, than the use of the structure of the Morrisonpatent.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for moving any of aplurality of markers into engagement with the surface of a paperonwhich-an element on the marker is to be printed at a precise location.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for quicklyproducing various elements such as nuts, bolts, and the like forexample, on a drawing at precise locations.

I Other objects of this invention will be readily perceived from thefollowing description, claims, and drawing.

This invention relates to a device for supporting a marker or the likefor printing on a surface at a particular location including a base of anon-magnetic material with the base having magnetic means to removablyretain the marker adjacent one end of the base. Means prevents rotationof the marker relative to the base when the marker is retained adjacentthe one end of the base by the magnetic means. The device has meanscooperating with means, which locates the marker at the particularlocation on the surface for printing, to allow retraction of thelocating means when the locating means is pressed against the surface sothat the marker may be moved against the surface to print on the surfaceat the particular location. Means produces relative movement between themarker and the base to remove the marker from the effect of the magneticmeans to release the marker.

This invention also relates to a device for supporting a marker or thelike for printing on a surface at a particular location including abase. The base has means to releasably retain a marker on means, whichis supported by the base for movement relative thereto, and adjacent thebase. When the marker is on the supported means, suitable means preventsrotation of the marker. The device has means cooperating with means,which locates the marker at the particular location on the surface forprinting, to allow retraction of the locating means when the locatingmeans is pressed against the surface so that the marker may be movedagainst the surface to print on the surface at the particular location.Means produces relative movement between the supported means and thebase to release the marker from the supported means by removing themarker from the effect of the retaining means.

The attached drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of theinvention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the marking device of the presentinvention with a marker supported thereon;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 1, of the marking device ofFIG. 1 but showing the marker moved into engagement with a papersurface;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view, similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, of themarking device of FIG. 1, but showing the marker being released from themarking device;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the marking device of FIG. 1 with themarker removed;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a portion of the marking device ofFIG. 1 with the marker removed;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the marker that is to be used for producinga flathead screw;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a socket head screw that is the element on oneof the markers; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a flat head screw that is the element on themarker of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIGS. l-3, there is shown themarking device of the present invention including a base 10, which isformed of a non-mag netic material such as plastic, for example. Thebase 10 has a pair of magnets 11 disposed therein through its end 12.

The magnets 11 are disposed on diametrically opposite sides of alongitudinal passage 14 in the base 10. The passage 14, which has acircular cross section and extends through the base 10, has a supportlSdisposed therein and slidably supported by the base 10.

The support 15, which has a circular crosssection, has its upper end 16threaded to the lower end of a connecting plug 17. The connecting plug17 has its upper end threaded to the lower end of a release button 18,which is slidably supported within a stem 19.

The stem 19, which is tapered except at its lower end, has itsnon-tapered lower end disposed within an enlarged upper portion 20 ofthe passage 14. The non tapered portion of the stem 19 has a press fitin the base 10.

The release button 18 is disposed within a longitudinal passage 21 inthe stem 19 and has an enlarged upper end 22 disposed within an enlargedupper portion 23 of the passage 21, which has a circular cross section.A spring 24, which is disposed within the enlarged upper portion 23 ofthe passage 21, acts on the lower surface of the enlarged upper end 22of the release button 18, which has a circular cross section, tocontinuously urge the support upwardly. The upward movement of therelease button 18 by the spring 24 is limited by the upper surface ofthe larger portion of the support 15 engaging the lower end of the stem19 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

This uppermost position of the release button 18 disposes the support 15within the base 10 so that a reduced lower portion 25 of the support 15extends or protrudes beyond the end 12 of the base 10 as shown in FIGS.1 and 2. The reduced portion 25 has a smaller diameter than the diameterof the passage 14 while a portion 26 of the support 15 is substantiallythe same diameter as the passage 14 so as to have sliding movementbetween the base 10 and the support 15.

The reduced portion 25 of the stem 15 concentrically supports a marker27 thereon. The marker 27 includes a metallic support plate 28 and astamping-plate 29, which may be formed of rubber, for example. Thestamping plate 29, which is secured to the support plate 28 by anysuitable means such as glue, for example, may be formed of any material,which is capable of absorbing ink or any other suitable marking mediumwhile retaining the desired shape of the element or item to be produced.

The stamping plate 29 has embosses 29' formed integral therewith. Theembosses 29' produce the desired configuration of the element or itemthat is to be printed on the paper. Thus, for example, the stampingplate 29 could have a socket head screw 30 (see FIG.

7) or a fiat head screw 31 (see FIGS. 6 and 8) formed thereon as theelement that is to be produced on the paper.

Since the socket head screw 30 can have various diameters and the flathead screw 31 can have various diameters, for example, a plurality ofthe markers 27 is required. Likewise, the markers 27 may include anyother concentric element or item such as bolts and nuts, for example.

The plate 28 has a circular opening 32 (see FIG. 6) therein, which issubstantially the same diameter as the diameter of the reduced portion25 of the support 15. Accordingly, when one of the markers 27 is to besupported on the support 15, the reduced portion 25 is disposed withinthe opening 32 in the support plate 28 of the marker 27 so that themarker 27 has a sliding fit on the reduced portion 25 of the support 15.The marker 27 is retained on the support 15 because the magnets 11 inthe base 10 produce a magnetic field of sufiicient strength to retainthe marker 27 on the reduced portion 25 of the support 15 and againstthe end 12 of the base 10.

T o prevent rotation of the marker 27, the base 10 has a pair ofdiametrically disposed locator pins 33 and 34 (see FIGS, 4 and 5)supported therein and protruding the same slight distance (see FIG. 5)from the end 12 of the base 10 as the reduced portion 25 of the support15 normally protrudes. The locator pins 33 and 34, which are of circularcross section, are disposed within longitudinal slots 35 (see FIG. 6),which are formed in the support plate 28 on opposite sides of thecircular opening 32 and in communication therewith. Thus, when thelocator pins 33 and 34 are disposed in the longitudinal slots 35, whichhave a width slightly greater than the diameter of each of the locatorpins 33 and 34, the marker 27 cannot be rotated relative to the base 10.

The support 15 carries a longitudinal locating or guide pin 36 ofcircular cross section within a longitudinal passage 37 of circularcross section in the support 15. The passage 37 has a diameter onlyslightly larger than the diameter of the locating pin 36 so that thelocating pin 36 may slide therein while having a fit therewith.

The locating pin 36 has a portion of reduced diameter adjacent its upperend extending into a longitudinal passage 39 of circular cross sectionin the support 15. The passage 39 communicates with the passage 37 andhas a substantially larger diameter than the diameter of the passage 37.

An E-ring 40, which is supported on the reduced portion of the locatingpin 36, has a spring 41, which is disposed within the passage 39 in thesupport 15, acting against the upper surface of the E-ring 40 tocontinuously urge the locating pin 36 exteriorly of the support 15 asshown in FIG. 1. The E-ring 40 abuts against the bottom of the passage39 to limit the outward movement of the locating or guide pin 36 by thespring 41.

Since the locating pin 36 is centered with respect to the reducedportion 25 of the support 15 because the axes of the passages 37 and 39are aligned with the axis of the passage 14 in the support 15, thelocating pin 36 is centered with respect to the marker 27. As a result,whenever the locating pin 36 is disposed at the center of where anelement is to be located on a drawing, the marker 27 also will becentered with respect thereto.

Thus, movement of the marker 27 into engagement with the drawing withthe stamping plate 29 having ink thereon produces the desired element oritem at the proper location.

Considering the operation of the marking device of the presentinvention, the reduced portion 25 of the support 15 is disposed withinthe opening 32 in the support plate 28 of the marker 27, which is to beused to mark an element or item on the drawing. The marker 27 may bestored, for example, in a receptacle in a storage container.

The reduced portion 25 enters the opening 32 in the support plate 28 bypressing downwardly on the base through pushing on the upper surface ofa conical portion 42 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) of the base 10. As the base 10is moved downwardly, the force of the spring 41 is overcome by thelocating pin 36 not being movable since the locating pin 36 is engagingthe bottom of the receptacle for the marker 27 so that the base 10 canslide relative thereto whereby the magnets 11 can act on the marker 27to retain the marker 27 against the end 12 ofthe base 10.

When the reduced portion 25 of the support enters the opening 32 in theplate 28, the locator pins 33 and 34 are disposed within the slots 35 inthe plate 28. This prevents rotation of the marker 27 relative to thebase 10.

When the base 10 is lifted, the spring 41 immediately forces thelocating pin 36 out of the base 10 since the locating pin 36 no longerbears against the bottom surface of the receptacle. The stamping plate29 of the marker 27 is then moved into engagement with an inked pad orthe like to absorb ink therefrom. This is accomplished by moving thebase 10 downwardly against the spring 41 and relative to the locatingpin 36 through pushing downwardly on the upper surface of the conicalportion 42 of the base 10. After the stamping plate 29 of the marker 27has received the ink from the inked pad, the downward force on the base10 is released so that the base 10 moves upwardly due to the spring 41.

Then, the locating pin 36 is positioned at the desired point on thedrawing, and the base 10 is againmoved downwardly relative to thelocating pin 36 and against the force of the spring 41. This results inthe element or item on the stamping plate 29 of the marker 27 engaging apaper 43 (see FIG. 2) to be printed. Since the locating pin 36 isconcentrically disposed with respect to the reduced portion 25 of thesupport 15 and the marker 27 is concentrically supported on the reducedportion 25 of the support 15, the locating pin 36, which freely passesthrough an opening 44 (see FIG. 6) in the stamping plate 29 of largerdiameter than the locating pin 36, is properly disposed at the center ofthe element or item.

As soon as the element or item has been printed by the stamping plate29, the downward force on the base 10 is again released so that the base10 moves upwardly due to the spring 41. This removes the marker 27 fromengagement with the paper 43.

The marker 27 is then returned to its proper position in its storagecontainer or the like by positioning the locating pin 36 in thereceptacle in the storage container for the marker 27. At this time, therelease button 18 is pushed downwardly against the force of the spring24 to move the support 15 exteriorly of the end 12 of the base 10 asshown in FIG. 3. This moves the marker 27 beyond the effect of themagnetic field of the magnets 11 so that the marker 27 is no longerretained on the reduced portion 25 of the support 15 by the magnets 11.As a result, the marker 27 falls by gravity from the reduced portion 25of the support 15 into its receptacle in the storage container.

While the present invention has shown and described the marker 27 asbeing prevented from rotating relative to the base 10 by the locatorpins 33 and 34 cooperating with the longitudinal slots 35 in the supportplate 28 of the marker 27, it should be understood that any othersuitable means could be employed to prevent rotation of the marker 27relative to the base 10. For example, both the support 15 and theopening 32 in the support plate 28 of the marker 27 could be formed withthe same polygonal configuration such as a square, for example, wherebythere could be no rotation of the marker 27 relative to the base 10.

While the present invention has shown and described the marker 27 ashaving an element or item formed on the stamping plate 29 that isconcentric to the locating pin 36, it should be understood that elementsor items, which are not concentric to the locating pin 36, could beemployed. The markers 27 would require some type of a locatorarrangement such as the locator pins 33 and 34, for example, to insuretheir proper location relative to the locating pin 36 even though theelements or items are not concentric.

An advantage of this invention is that an element or item may be quicklyprinted on a drawing at a desired location. Another advantage of thisinvention is that it is relatively inexpensive. A further advantage ofthis invention is that the desired position of the element or item maybe easily located and precisely obtained.

For purposes of exemplification, a particular embodiment of theinvention has been shown and described according to the best presentunderstanding thereof. However, it will be apparent that changes andmodifications in the arrangement and construction of the parts thereofmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting a marker or the like for printing on asurface at a particular location including:

a base;

means supported by said base for movement relative thereto; said basehaving means to releasably retain a marker on said supported means andadjacent said base;

said supported means having a portion extending exteriorly of said baseand cooperating with the marker to locate the marker exteriorly of saidbase and adjacent one end thereof;

means to prevent rotation of the marker when the marker is on saidsupported means;

means to locate the marker at the particular location on the surface forprinting; said locating means extending longitudinally from the exteriorportion of said supported means;

means cooperating with said locating means to allow retraction of saidlocating means when said locating means is pressed against the surfaceso that the marker may be moved against the surface to print on thesurface at the particular location;

and means to produce relative movement between said supported means andsaid base to release the marker from said supported means by removingthe marker from the effect of said retaining means.

2. The device according to claim 1 in which:

said preventing means comprises means supported

1. A device for supporting a marker or the like for printing on asurface at a particular location including: a base; means supported bysaid base for movement relative thereto; said base having means toreleasably retain a marker on said supported means and adjacent saidbase; said supported means having a portion extending exteriorly of saidbase and cooperating with the marker to locate the marker exteriorly ofsaid base and adjacent one end thereof; means to prevent rotation of themarker when the marker is on said supported means; means to locate themarker at the particular location on the surface for printing; saidlocating means extending longitudinally from the exterior portion ofsaid supported means; means cooperating with said locating means toallow retraction of said locating means when said locating means ispressed against the surface so that the marker may be moved against thesurface to print on the surface at the particular location; and means toproduce relative movement between said supported means and said base torelease the marker from said supported means by removing the marker fromthe effect of said retaining means.
 1. A device for supporting a markeror the like for printing on a surface at a particular locationincluding: a base; means supported by said base for movement relativethereto; said base having means to releasably retain a marker on saidsupported means and adjacent said base; said supported means having aportion extending exteriorly of said base and cooperating with themarker to locate the marker exteriorly of said base and adjacent one endthereof; means to prevent rotation of the marker when the marker is onsaid supported means; means to locate the marker at the particularlocation on the surface for printing; said locating means extendinglongitudinally from the exterior portion of said supported means; meanscooperating with said locating means to allow retraction of saidlocating means when said locating means is pressed against the surfaceso that the marker may be moved against the surface to print on thesurface at the particular location; and means to produce relativemovement between said supported means and said base to release themarker from said supported means by removing the marker from the effectof said retaining means.